Time-controlled shutter-actuating mechanism.



B. BRYAN. TIMEl GONTROLLED SHUTTER ACTUATING MEGHANISM.

APLIATION FILED MAR.14, 1911. 1,015,1 34, Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. BRYAN'.

TIME GONTROLLBD SHUTTER AGTUATING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED IMAR.14, 1911.

Patented J an. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NS NN raro.

TIME-CONTROLLED SHUTTER-ACTUATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16,1912.

Application led March 14, 1911. Serial No. 614,503.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BARNABAS BRYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Controlled Shutter-Actuating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in devices for operating the shutters of cameras which are so arranged as to be capable of being set to efect the exposure at a subsequent time.

One object of the invention is to provide a device which may be produced at low cost, so as to place it within the purchasing power of the large number of camera users now in existence, and to make it simple and durable and capable of being easily manipulated.

Another object is to provide a device of such construct-ion as to enable it to be applied to any camera as a substitute for the ordinary shutter operating bulb, and to make it of such compact form as to enable it to be packed within the camera, when the latter is folded, in the same manner as is the ordinary air bulb.

Still another object is to provide an attachment for a camera which, while capable of being set to effect the exposure at a subsequent period, may yet be manipulated to eiiect the operation of the shutter to secure time and instantaneous exposures in the ordinary manner.

With these and other objects in view, the invention includes the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section` with the sliding block set for action; Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the parts in a position at the instant of release of the operating plunger; Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts in normal position; Fig 4 is an edge view with the casing in section, and Fig. 5 is a detail face view of the disk and attached gear. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the sliding block and pivoted dog. Fig. 8 is an edge view of the same; and Fig. 9 is a detail view of means for regulating the action of the clock train.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings, the numeral l designates a suitable case or frame provided with a longitudinal partition la, which partitions oft1 a portion of the case to form a compartment or chamber A for the motor mechanism. This is shown as being of the clock work type, having a power spring a, winding key Z9, and the usual train of gearing c leading to an escapement or retarding device indicated at d. lf desired, a retarding device for the clock mechanism may be provided in the form of a friction brake e designed to bear against the shaft of one of the faster traveling wheels or a drum thereon, and controlled by a thumb lever f on the outside of the case. (See Fig. 9). This motor mechanism is designed to be set in motion in the manner hereinafter described, and, after having been so set in motion, and after a predetermined period, to bring into action a sliding pin or plunger 2 through the action of a controlling disk hereinafter more fully described. This plunger is connected to a flexible shaft 3 which extends through a flexible casing f1 designed to be connected at its opposite end to the ordinary shutter actuating mechanism (not shown), the longitudinal movement of the' flexible shaft within the casing operating the shutter actuating mechanism in the manner well known to those skilled in the art. rEhe flexible shaft and plunger are normally held in their retracted or initial position by the spring 5 encircling the flexible shaft one end of the spring being held against movement with relation to the flexible shaft and the other end being held against movement with relation to the inclosing casing. The clock mechanism is designed only to eifect the release of the plunger after a predetermined length of time, and for furnishing the power to actuate the plunger I provide in the compartment or chamber B a sliding block 6 designed to be drawn toward the front end of the case by the tension springs 7 which are connected at their rear ends to said block and at their front ends to the interior of the front end of the case. Said springs may conveniently encircle the starting or guide rods 8 which are designed to abut at their rear ends against the block 6 and are slidably guided in the front end of the case through which they project. The projecting ends are connected by a cross yoke 9 so that by placing two fingers upon the ends of the yoke and the thumb against the rear end of the case the block 6 may be forced to the rear end of the case, storing up power in the springs 7. The controlling disk indicated at 10 and which, when released, is rotated by the clock mechanism already described, is provided with a groove or channel 101 within which, during the longitudinal movement of the slide 6, is arranged to travel a pin or projection 6a. This pin G may be provided with an antifriction roller.

lVhen the block G has been forced back toward the rear end of the case as already explained, the pin 6a travels in the groove toward the open end thereof until it passes beyond the periphery of the disk. As the pin passes from the end of the groove, it raises a spring flap 10" which normally completes the lower half of the periphery of the disk, and which opens to permit the passage of the pin but closes behind it, preventing return movement of the sliding block, due to the pin or projection bearing on the thus completed periphery of the disk while the cross yoke and rods are free to move outwardly under the action of compression springs 8, leaving the block in its retracted position. Simultaneously with the emergence of the pin from the groove the disk, which has heretofore been held locked against movement, is released by the pin striking against and forcing back the end of a spring pressed arm 11 carrying a-locking projection 11a which normally engages a corresponding notch or recess in the upper half of the periphery of the disk. The disk being thus freed is rotated at a speed determined by the clock mechanism, and the slide block G is held retracted by the pin resting on the periphery of the disk until at the end of a complete rotation the lip or edge of the flap 10", which, as shown, is inclined outwardly, is caught and lifted by the pin which latter thereupon enters the slot allowing the block to be drawn forward by the springs and through its connection with the plunger to effect the actuation of the camera shutter in the manner hereinbefore described. At the end of one complete rotation the disk is locked against further movement by the rengagement of the locking projection with the notch in the disk. After the plunger has been thus actuated, it should be released and allowed to return to normal condition so as to fully free the shutter mechanism, and to accomplish this I provide a spring pressed dog or pawl 12 pivoted to the face of the block 6 at 12a and having an angularly turned end 12b which, when the block is in its forward position, lies to one side of the plunger, as shown. being so held by the engagement of its opposite end 12c with the interior wall of the case. When the block 6 is drawn rearwardly, the end 12c is brought into alinement with a slot 13 in the wall of the case through which it tends to project, and when the block 6 is fully retracted and held by the disk, the angularly turned end 12b of the dog swings over the end of the plunger, thusfcoupling the plunger and block together so that when the block is freed from the disk the movement of the block actuates the plunger and shutter mechanism in the manner hereinbefore described. As the block nears the limit of its forward movement, its cam face 12c strikes against a contactmember 14 (preferably made adjustable by a set screw 14a) and is thereby moved back into the interior of the case, simultaneously withdrawing its projecting end 12b from engagement with the plunger which is thereby allowed to return to initial position. (See-Fig. 2). The forward movement of the sliding block 6 is limited by the stops 18, 18, secured to the sides of the compartment B.

It is desirable that the device hereinbefore described be provided with means whereby it may be actuated by hand to operate the shutter in the same manner as it is customarily operated. A convenient means of accomplishing this is to provide an auxiliary plunger 15 pivoted on a spring hinge 15 and provided at its outer end with a thumb piece 15 and having its inner end 15b adapted to pass through an opening in the end of the case and engage the end of the plunger 2, so that on the auxiliary plunger being forced in, the shutter will be operated. The auxiliary plunger is carried by a swinging yoke 16 so as to enable it to be folded into a recess in the side of the case as shown iu Fig. 1, and t-he opening may be closed by a spring door 17, to insure a dust-proof case.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim is:

1. In a time controlled device for operating camera shutter mechanism, a movable part, a lengthwise movable flexible shaft or rod connected to said movable part and adapted by its lengthwise movement to actuate said shutter mechanism, a second movable part withmeans for connecting it with said first named movable part, a spring in which power is stored on the movement of said second movable part, and time controlled means for controlling the operation of said second movable part.

2. In a time controlled device for operating camera shutter mechanism, a longitudinally movable part, a lengthwise movable flexible shaft or rod connected to said movable part and ladapted by its lengthwise movement to aetuate said shutter mechanism, a second movable part, a spring connected with said second movable part in which power is stored on its movement in one direct-ion, means whereby said second movable part is automatically connected to said first named movable part and flexible shaft on its power storing movement, and automat-ically disconnected therefrom on its movement in the opposite plirection, and time controlled mechanism for retaining said second part for a predetermined time.

3. In a time controlled device for operating camera shutter mechanism, a movable part, a lengthwise movable flexible shaft. or rod connected to said movable part and adapted by its lengthwise movement to actuate said shutter mechanism, a second movable part with means for connecting it with said first named movable part, a spring in which power is stored on the movement of said second movable part, time controlled means for controlling the operation of said second movable part, and means for eecting, movement of said first named part and flexible shaft independently of the second movable part.

t. In combination a suitable case, a movable part therein for operating a shutter, a second movable part within the case, means for automatically connecting said second part with said first part on movement in one direction and disconnecting it therefrom on movement of said first part in the opposite direction, time controlled power means for effecting movement of said second part in said last named direction, and folding means on the outside of the casing operable through the casing for e'ecting movement of said first named movable part independently of the time controlled means.

5. In combination a shutter operating plunger, time controlled means normally disconnected therefrom for operating said plunger, means for connecting said parts and starting the operation of the time controlled means, and manually operable means for eecting the movement of the plunger while disconnected from said time controlled means, said manually operable means comprising a folding plunger adapted to be brought into operative connection with said first named plunger.

6. In combination a suitable case, a shutter operating plunger therein, a slide block movable within the case, a spring connected to said slide block in which power is stored by movement of the block in one direction, a dog for effecting connection between said plunger and block on the power storing movement, time controlled means for holding said block and for releasing it to allow the spring to act, and means coacting with said dog on the power stroke of the block for disconnecting the latter from the plunger.

7. In combination a suitable case, a shutter operating plunger therein, 'a slide block movable within the case, a spring connected to said slide block in which power is stored by movement of the block in one direction, a dog having a part adapted to take over the end of said plunger on the power storing movement, time controlled means for holding said block and for releasing it to allow the spring to act, means coacting with said dog on the power stroke for removing said part from the end of the plunger, and means for moving said plunger while the dog is disconnected therefrom.

8. In combination a suitable case, a shutter operating plunger therein, a slide block movable within the case, a spring connected to said block in which power is stored by the movement of the block in one direction and which tends to move it in the opposite direction, means for connecting said plunger with said block on its power storing movement and disconnecting it therefrom at the end of its operating movement, a rotatable disk within the case having an open ended groove, a projection on the block which travels in the groove and emerges therefrom on the power storing movement of the block, a device for closing the end of the groove after the projection has emerged therefrom, disengageable means for holding the disk against movement, said means being disengaged on emergence of the projection from the groove, and power means for rotating the disk.

9. In combination a suitable case, a slidable operating member therein, power means brought into action on movement of the slide in one direction tending to return it to initial position, a rotatable disk having a groove or channel in its face open at one end, a projection on said operating member slidable in said groove and adapted to emerge therefrom on the stroke which brings said power means into action, a pivoted flap for closing the end of the groove after the projection has emerged therefrom, power means for rotating the disk, said flap being adapted on the completion of one rotation of the disk to be lifted by the projection to allow the projection to renter the groove and the operating member to make its power stroke.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BARNABAS BRYAN.

.Vitnesses EwD. L. ToLsoN7 BENNETT S. J ONES.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

